


Your daddy's rich, and your ma is good lookin'

by letsgolesbiansletsgoooo



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Drinking, Drunkenness, I GOT A TITLE, LAMSSSS, Multi, New York City, Party, Suicidal Thoughts, alex is an asshole but when is he not, anyways yeah so this is an au, dammit, george washington is a dick, i love that song dammit, i might up the rating if i decide to do smut, iDK tho, idk whats going on, ill add more tags as I go, im not sure, its from the song "summetime", john is not ok, nvm im not doing smut, present day, probably, so i think there might be smut in chapter 3/4, uhh, wait shit this doesnt have a name yet, washington heights, yes the schuyler sisters will make an appearance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:34:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25688146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letsgolesbiansletsgoooo/pseuds/letsgolesbiansletsgoooo
Summary: john is an aspiring photographer in nyc working three jobs (four, if you count the one on the weekends)alex is a prestigious lawyer working for john's estranged dadreally i dont know what else to tell you other than they rlly hate eachother when they first (officially) meetwork title from "summertime" by ella fitzgerald and louis armstrong
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens, Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette/Hercules Mulligan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey!! im back with a fic thats gonna be lots of chapters maybe
> 
> this chapter really focuses on john and his backstory
> 
> hey hi i just realized that uhm i named both the kid in john's building and his coworker Sam so im changing the coworker's name to kai lol  
> w0w ok seriously that whole starbucks scene was a hot mess i really should have proofread this

John Laurens awoke to someone stabbing a pencil into his arm. 

“What the hell, man- That actually hurts-” John began, lifting his head from where it was resting on the table and whipping around to face his attacker. “Oh. It’s you.”

“¿Quién más sería? _(Who else would it be?)_ ” Señora Torres loomed over him, holding a sharpened pencil like a cigar in her polished nails. “Es pasado el cierre. _(It’s past closing.)_ Te quité la ropa del lavado, _(I took your clothes out of the washer.)_ ” she continued in rapid Spanish. “Ahora vete. _(Now leave.)_ ” 

“Ok, ok, me voy,  _ (I’m going.) _ ” John switched to English, trying to throw her off. “I’m working three jobs, Señora. You can’t expect me to sit here and watch my clothes spin around while I could be out  _ doing something. _ ” 

Señora Torres hit him hard over the head with the pencil. “¡Deja de hablar así!  _ (Stop talking like that!)  _ Sabes que no entiendo!  _ (You know I don’t understand!) _ ”

“Lo siento, lo siento.  _ (I’m sorry, I’m sorry.) _ ” John stood up and took his laundry basket from Señora Torres. The bell chimed behind him as he pushed open the poster-covered door. Everyone on the block put things on that door- Band posters, piano lesson ads- Even John had posted a notice that he was an “Experienced Photographer: Amazing, Memorable Photos for Every Occasion!”

No one had called. No one ever called. 

John wanted to be a photographer. A  _ professional  _ photographer. He wanted a huge studio apartment overlooking Central Park. He wanted someone to share that apartment with.

Instead of a steady, enjoyable job, a huge apartment, and a partner, John had three jobs- four, if you counted the one on the weekends- a one room  _ box  _ in the Heights, and a dog. To be fair, he loved Turtle, and no, he wouldn’t trade him for a man. 

Probably not. 

Depends on the guy. 

John shifted the laundry basket so that it was resting on his hip, and set off. He knew most people along this block- He’d grown up here. Well, not  _ here  _ here. John had grown up 30 minutes away (if the subway was cooperating), in West Village. All his life he’d heard how “lucky” he was to have grown up in “such an influential neighborhood,” and “why hasn’t he moved back there with a nice wife and some million-dollar salary?” 

The short answer (otherwise known as his father’s answer) is that “John is finding himself, living amongst the people so that he may better serve the people.” 

The long answer (otherwise known as the accurate one) is that “Senator Henry Laurens had someone hack into John’s phone when he was 17 and discover indisbutibale evidence that John was, in fact, gay. When Senator Laurens confronted his son, John denied the accusations- Which, in turn, caused Senator Laurens to disown his eldest son and kick him out of their family home.”

It had been six years since John’s removal from the Laurens Family’s hefty bank account, his banning from all the family houses and vacation homes, and his father’s overall refusal to accept that John still existed. His step-mother, Eleanor, still sent him checks from time to time, but his address was ever-changing, and honestly- he didn't want her help.  _ I am perfectly capable,  _ John often thought.  _ My parents decided they didn’t need me, so… I don't need them.  _

Of course, he did need the money. Badly. So, he did what he could. 

His growling stomach reminded John that it was not enough. Looking up at his ratty apartment building, he realized he'd left his keys at the laundromat. Again. 

“Oh,  _ fuck. _ ” John trudged up to the gate and pulled on the chain, which didn’t budge. He turned towards an open second story window and yelled in it’s direction. “HEY VALERIE CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME IN I FORGOT MY KEYS AGAIN.” 

After a moment, the curtain was pulled back and a woman stuck her head out of the window. “Dios mío  _ (Oh my god) _ , Johnny.” Valerie sighed. “You need to stop forgetting those keys. Soon I’ll run out of copies, and then what will you do?”

John smiled. “I’ll come to you, just like always.” She tossed him a ring of keys, which he caught on the tip of his fingers. “Also, how many times have I asked you to stop calling me  _ Johnny? _ ” 

Almost as to prove his point, one of Valerie’s kids- Sam, John thought- poked his head out of the window, saw John, and yelled “JOHNNY!!”

“Hey… Sam?” John said as he unlocked the gate and pulled it open. 

The little boy nodded. “Did you do your laundry?”

“Yup. Toda mi ropa está limpia.  _ (My clothes are all clean.) _ ” 

Sam looked at his mother, unsure. “Yo no hablo mucho Español,  _ (I don’t speak much spanish.)”  _ He hesitated. “Mamá está tratando de aprenderme.  _ (Mama is trying to learn me.)” _

John chuckled. “I think you mean  _ enseñareme (teach).  _ You’ll get it, in time. I was 17 when I moved here, and I’d never heard Español so much in my life. Se paciente.  _ (Be patient.)” _ Pulling the gate shut behind him, John nodded at Valerie, and trudged up the steps to the fifth floor. 

Behind him, he heard Sam say to his mother- “Did Johnny say ‘Be patient’? Because, Mamá, I am VERY patient. Sometimes I just wish things would happen faster.”

Valerie sighed, and John could almost hear the sad look on her face. “I think we all do,  _ niño.” _

~~~

On the subway the next morning, John got a text from his friend, Hercules Mulligan. 

**✨herc✨** >> R u free tm night

<< no i have work

**✨herc✨** >> Still??? You work like all the time

<< like i have a choice

**✨herc✨** >> At least consider it…  ***Attachment sent***

John clicked on the picture and immediately rolled his eyes. It was a flyer for some party downtown, at some trust fund baby’s Brooklyn loft. Herc always sent him stuff like this, trying to get him to go out, meet a guy. You know, normal 23-year-old shit. 

However, unlike normal 23-year-olds, John worked three jobs (four, if you counted the one on the weekends), and did not have time to  _ party. _

<< dude im not gonna go

<< stop asking me

**✨herc✨** >> Awwww man! At least let me come over this week???

<< ugh, fine. just,, let me know first

**✨herc✨** >> Will do! 

**✨herc✨** >> Oh I almost forgot, there’s another party next weekend, same time, same place. You should get off work

John rolled his eyes, and slid his phone into his back pocket. It  _ dinged!  _ a few times, which John assumed was Hercules trying to figure out why he’d stopped responding. After a minute, his phone started to overheat from all the  _ ding! _ ing, so John pulled his phone out and checked to see what was driving Herc so crazy.

**✨herc✨** >> Seriously, you should

**✨herc✨** >> John

**✨herc✨** >> John did you just leave me

**✨herc✨** >> John

**✨herc✨** >> John

**✨herc✨** >> John

**✨herc✨** >> JohN

**✨herc✨** >> JoHN

**✨herc✨** >> JOHN

**✨herc✨** >> JOHNNNNNNNNN

**✨herc✨** >> JJJJOOOOOHHHHNNNNNNNNNN LLLLAAUUURRENNNSSSSS

_ Oh my god,  _ John thought as Hercules kept texting him,  _ I am such a fucking pushover. _

<< FINE. ILL COME NEXT WEEK. OK? NOW LEAVE ME ALONE.

**✨herc✨** >> Ahahahhaha yesssssss! You will not regret this!

“I am so going to regret this,” John said, forgetting he was still on the subway.

The old man standing next to John turned to look at him like he was insane. 

~~~

John sighed. “Please, ma’am, calm down. I can remake your order…” He hesitated. “Free of charge.” 

The woman leaning across the counter frowned even more. “Are you sure you won’t mess it up?  _ Again?” _ She crossed her arms. “I really would like to speak to your manager.”

“Ma’am-” John glanced at the name on the cup she shoved in his face. “‘Vanessa.’ I already told you, I’m the manager.”

She scoffed. “Oh,  _ sure.  _ Ugh, just- Remake my damn order. Got it?”

John nodded. “Of course.” He turned to read the order on the cup, and rolled his eyes when he realized he had “Vanessa’s” order right all along. 

His coworker, Kai, glances at the angry woman. “Another one?” They ask.

“Yeah.” John lowered his voice. “I even had the order right the first time.”

Kai shook their head, exasperated. “Just dump some random shit in there, she won't know the difference.” 

“EXCUSE ME, SIR.” “Vanessa” reached across the counter and tapped Kai on the shoulder. “TELL YOUR EMPLOYEE TO PLEASE MAKE MY DRINK NOW.”

John started to pour the ice into her cup. “Calm down, I’ll get you your drink. Be patient. Please.”

“Yeah, and, lady-” Kai turned towards the woman, “Don’t call me sir. Use Mx, if you’re so insistent on talking to me. And I’m not the manager, he is.” They pointed to John.

“Sure. Yes. Whatever. And I can-” John interrupted “Vanessa” by shoving her drink in her face. 

“Please leave.” 

She scoffed as she rushed out onto the busy street. John sighed, happy to have her gone. 

Kai laughed. “How long this time?”

“Twenty minutes. I just kept telling her-” He stopped, too tired to explain. “I hate people so much.”

A man stepped up to the counter, his hair pulled back in a tight bun. He looked about John’s age, but his face was covered in lines and dark spots circled his eyes. John immediately noticed the leather briefcase at his side, which looked expensive as hell. The man continued to talk into an earpiece, despite it being his turn to order. 

“Um, hello? ...Can I get your order?” John waved his hand in front of the customer’s face. 

The man looked up. “Oh! Sorry, I-” He pointed to his earpiece. “Work.”

John started to say that he understood, but really, he didn’t. John had never had a job where he was important enough for an earpiece, let alone the briefcase this man was carrying. “What can I get for you?” 

The man took in a deep breath, almost like he was preparing a 6-hour speech. “I’ll have…  an  iced venti caramel macchiato, 15 pumps vanilla syrup, made with heavy whipping cream- so, no milk- four ice cubes, an extra shot of espresso, add whip, extra caramel drizzle.” He exhaled, clearly relieved the ordering part was over.

John blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Ah, yeah, I have it written down.” He dug his hand into the bottom of his briefcase and pulled out a coffee-stained piece of paper. “Here.”

John took the paper, reading over the order again in disbelief. “I’ll get that right for you…Um, can I get a name?”

“Oh, uh-” The man paused, as you do when you’re at Starbucks and they ask for your name and you think,  _ Wait, what  _ is  _ my name? _ “Alex.” He frowns, then nods. “Yeah.”

“...You sure about that?”

Alex laughs. “Yeah, yeah. It’s just, sometimes I go by my full name, so it might get confusing.”

“Confusing. Right.” John nods, unimpressed. He begins to make the order, and it takes him a good five minutes before he realizes- 

He knew this guy. “Alex”? Yeah. John had definitely seen him before.  _ Maybe on Herc’s Instagram…? There’s a shitload of rich people on there… No, that’s not it.  _ He looked at Alex again, up and down, trying to connect him to a place.  _ That briefcase, that symbol, I  _ know  _ it. Why do I-  _

_ Shit.  _

It was his father’s symbol. This man- Alex- His name was Alexander Hamilton and he- He worked for Henry Laurens. 

Hamilton noticed John staring at the briefcase, and held it up, pointing to the symbol. “It's pretty fancy, right? My new boss got me this as a ‘New to the Administration’ present, but I think he really just likes me. His son ran away from home to ‘find himself,’ so I got the position instead.” Hamilton took John’s shocked silence as an invitation to keep talking. “Really, I want to work for Senator Washington. What a great guy- Am I right?”

John nodded, remembering the time Washington called one of his aids a f*ggot for forgetting his coffee. “Yeah. Great guy.” John rushed to finish Hamilton’s complicated order. “Uh, here. Have a nice day,” He said as he shoved the cup into Hamilton’s outstretched hand. 

“Ok, sure. Thanks. You too.” Hamilton frowned, looking John over once more. “Do I know you?”

John freezed. “No. I mean, probably not. Why would you?”

“I don’t know, I just- whatever.” He said as he held up his coffee, tipping it towards John like tipping a hat. “Bye.”

Kai came up behind John, a cat-like smile on their face. “Oooooh, who was that? He looks nice… Totally your type…” 

“No. Absolutely not, no.”

“Aww, why not? I’m sure he’ll come here again…”

“Charlie, quit it.” John said, and glanced at the clock behind the break room door. “Shit. I’m late for my other job. Cover for me?”

“Sure, sure.” Kai stepped away to take another order, and John thought about the man he’d just seen. 

_ Yeah,  _ definitely  _ my type, but he’s gotta be straight. He works for my dad, for fuck’s sake… _

John pulled off his apron and started to duck out the back door, but not before Kai could yell:  _ “I’LL TELL YOU IF HE COMES BACK WHILE YOU’RE GONE!”  _

  
He sighed, and decided to ignore Charlie’s comments.  _ That guy is nothing but trouble. _ John thought, clenching his fists with anger.  _ I never want to see him again in my life.  _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its really just everything leading up to the party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANKS FOR COMING BaCK  
> I HOPE YOU LIKE  
> AND ENJOY  
> i actually proofread this time lol

Later that night, John stumbled home, struggling to fish his keys out of his pockets. To a passerby, he might have seemed drunk, or high. However, he was neither of those things. John was tired. Just tired. After the… uncomfortable encounters at Starbucks, he’d rushed to his next job- a eight hour long shift of janitorial duties at a Manhattan office building- which, out of all three of his jobs (four, if you counted the one on the weekends), was his least favorite. After that, he got a two hour break from work, then back to the grind. From eight in the evening to three in the morning, John worked as a bouncer at a small, dinky little night club in Queens. The jobs were spread so far apart that his two-hour break was mostly filled by subway rides and taxis.

Anyways, John was tired, and he had no intention on doing anything but sleeping as soon as he got inside. It had started raining about an hour ago, and John’s uniform was soaked through. He never carried an umbrella- It made him feel like he was cheating. His step-mother Eleanor always used to say  _ If the sky is crying, then why not let it cry on you?  _ John never really understood this- He never thought the idea of someone crying on him would be enjoyable. 

John pushed the gate open, his long curly hair starting to become frizzy and unruly. He’d taken it down from his normal ponytail after he got off the subway, and John already regretted it. His curls stuck to the side of his forehead, and water dripped all over the cracked tile floors when he opened the door of his building. John could hear someone moving upstairs as he made his way to his fifth floor apartment. The noise didn't fade, and as John stepped up on the landing, he realized the noise was coming  _ from his apartment.  _

He turned towards the door, and he saw that it was ajar. John reached into his jacket and pulled out his pocket-knife, ready to put up a fight. 

Slowly, he pulled the door open enough to squeeze through, and slipped on to the other side. The apartment was as messy as John had left it, and nothing looked out of place or stolen. 

He dropped his backpack near the door.  _ Any motherfucker who thinks they can break into my apartment is dead wrong,  _ John thought as he rounded the corner to the kitchen. The noises had stopped, and he thought the intruder might have known John was there. 

“Oh, hey Laurie.”

“ _ WHAT THE FUCK-”  _ John lurched sideways as Hercules appeared behind him.

“I didn’t know when you’d be home so I just decided to crash here. It’s cool, right?”

John was too shocked to respond. He’d been startled so much that the air in his lungs had entirely dissipated, and he grabbed onto the hallway wall for support. Turtle, his dog, came up and licked John’s face.

Concerned, Herc crouched down so he could talk eye-level with John. “Um, are you ok? Do you need… uh… medical attention?”

“N-  _ *cough*  _ no-  _ *cough* _ I’m fine-  _ *cough*  _ Really, I’m fine-” John coughed again, just for good measure. He slowly stood up, clearing his throat and looking at Hercules incredulously. “Explanation. Now.”

Herc frowned. “Well, like I said, I didn't know when you'd be home. I couldn't get a hold of you- I know you always turn off your phone when you're at work- and so I just stayed here.” 

“And how did you get in here in the first place?”

“Well… uh…” Hercules scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “I kind of… maybe… have a copy of your… keys?” 

John sat down, so overwhelmed that his legs had become weak. “ _ Dios mio, _ ” He whispered, covering his face with his hands. “Herc… buddy…” John sat up, and looked his friend in the eyes. “Why the hell do you have a copy of my keys?” 

“Actually, Lafayette had them first. He gave them to me a month ago when he left for that trip.”

John sighed. “Didn’t he get back last weekend?”

“Um, yeah.”

John sighed even louder. “Please give me the keys.”

Hercules walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed a single key. “Here. I’m sorry, man, I didn’t know you’d be so mad about it.” 

“I’m not- mad, exactly, it’s just-” John stood up, placed his hands on his hips, and yelled, “Don’t _scare_ me like that! You can’t just _waltz_ in here without letting me at least know that you’re here!! I am _tired,_ Hercules, I want to _sleep._ I could have already been in bed by now but nooo, my friends decide to hide out in my shitty apartment- _for fun._ _Dios mio,_ Herc.”

The taller man stifled a laugh. “Bro, you know there’s a reason I came here, right?”

John was not expecting this, and it caught him off guard. “What? Did something happen?”

“Not really, I just wanted to let you know that the party got pushed forward to tomorrow night.”

“I can’t go to that fucking party. I already told you, I can’t.” John grabbed his backpack and chucked it into his bedroom, where Turtle had since fallen asleep. “Go home, Herc.” Pulling his hair up into a bun, he walked over to his fridge and pulled out some leftovers. John turned around to see Hercules still sitting at the table, and John crossed his arms. “Dude. Leave.” 

“Nope.” Hercules crossed his arms, mimicking John. “I’m not leaving ‘till you agree to come to the party. Seriously, John, you can take off work for  _ one night. _ It’s not that hard. I do it all the time-” He started, then stopped himself, looking guilty. 

“Yeah, well, you don’t work three jobs,”  _ Four, if you counted the one on the weekends, _ “and your parents pay for most of your shit. Don’t even start.”

“Laurie…” Herc said, teasing. “Please… pretty please… I won’t let you sleep… I’ll stay here and eat all your food…” This last part scared John the most, as the fashion design major was insanely good at inhaling food. 

_ I really do have no choice.  _ John contemplated, watching Herc’s hopeful face.  _ Fucking pushover…  _ Another voice in his head shot back.  _ Well, maybe, but I kinda do wanna go to this party. YOu hAVE woRK. Work is no fun. WORK MAKES MONEY DIPSHIT- _

“I’ll go, ok? I’ll go!” John threw his hands up over his head, thoroughly exasperated. 

Hercules stood up and grabbed his jacket. “YESSSS THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME!!!!” He shouted and rushed out the door. “BYE SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT.”

When the door clicked shut behind his friend, John raced to lock it and sighed, peace finally returning to his apartment. He realized, later, that he hadn’t even told Herc off for calling him Laurie.  _ I guess I’m meant to go to that party, huh?  _

~~~ 

John stood in front of his bathroom mirror, tugging at the sleeves of his button-down shirt. It was green, with little white flowers all over it. “I look… bad. Definitely bad.”

Turtle cocked his head, confused. 

“I really do. Why did I even buy this shirt? Why did I ever let Hercules talk me into buying this shirt?”

Turtle whined. 

“Yes I  _ know _ I liked it when I first bought it, but I bought it two years ago! That was…  _ two years ago! Tastes change!”  _ John frowned at his reflection. “Do I even have taste?”

Turtle laid down on the rug, his paws over his nose.

“Oh, shut up.” John sighed, and ran a hand through his messy curls. He grabbed a hair tie from his counter, and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. “What do you think?” He said, turning to face his dog. 

The three-year-old German Shepherd sighed and slumped out of the bathroom. 

John frowned at his reflection. “That bad, huh?” He followed Turtle out into the kitchen, where Hercules was already sitting. 

“Wow, that’s a throwback,” He said. “That shirt is, what, three years old?”

John rolled his eyes. “Two. And I hate it.”

“You look nice! I mean, on regular standards. On my standards… you look like shit.” Herc stood up from the table to reveal tight baby blue pants and a sleeveless blinding-white dress shirt. He spun in a circle, showing off, and his black, heeled boots clicked on the old tile. “What do you think?”

“Um, it's great. Lafayette will love it.”

Hercules blushed, and covered his cheeks with his hands. “Nooooo, he won’t- Why would he care what I have on? And, anyways, he was in Paris to visit Adrienne.  _ ADRIENNE.  _ His  _ girlfriend. _ Who, by the way, is amazing. Seriously. Laurie. You’ve met her. You know. She’s the best- and- and I will never ever get in the way of their relationship. You know that. Right?”

John laughed. “Right.”

“But, um, if Lafayette says anything to you… about.. you know… me…” Hercules looked away, embarrassed. “You’ll tell me, right.”

“Sure.” John pulled his phone out of his pocket, determined to change the subject. A message from Lafayette appeared, and he clicked on it.

**un baguette** >> Hello! I am outside your house! I have brought my car so that we may drive to the party!

“What the-” John turned to face Hercules. “He’s here. Outside.”

“Oh, yeah. I asked him to pick us up.”

John sighed. “Ok, sure. Let the french bastard drive.”

~~~

They knew where the party was even before they got to the block. Lights flashed on the rooftop, and loud, incomprehensible music carried down to the street below. Lafayette pulled up to the sidewalk, where one spot was left open. Before it was too late, John realized the Frenchman was going to try and parallel park. Not a good idea. 

“Ces Américains stupides, encombrant les rues et rendant les places de parking si petites. Pourquoi? POURQUOI?  _ (These stupid Americans clutter the streets and make parking spaces so small. Why? WHY?)” _ Lafayette muttered, nearly hitting the car behind them. His green-and-black Range Rover barely fit into the miniscule space. 

Hercules, supportive as ever reached over from the passenger seat and patted Lafayette on the shoulder. “You’re doing great.” He looked back at John, who was moping in the backseat. “How do you say that in French?”

John hesitated, then smiled. “J'ai baisé ta mère.  _ (I fucked your mother.)” _

There was a chuckle from the driver's seat as Herc repeated the phrase. “My dear friend Laurie, you are too much the trickster.”

“What? What did I say?” John smirked, pleading the fifth. 

Hercules opened the car door, oblivious to the Fracophones’ shenanigans. “Well, time to party! God, I haven't had a night out since… since…” He frowned, trying to remember.

“Wednesday, my friend. Vous faites trop la fête  _ (You party too much.)” _ Lafayette said, clearly unimpressed. 

“I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS BUT IT SOUNDS COOL.”

John laughed at his friends, happy to be out with them- even if it meant missing work. 

~~~

Inside- or, rather, on the roof- the party was in full swing. The music was even louder than it was from the street, and John was struggling to hear Hercules and Lafayette- who were standing right next to him. They laughed and talked, and John saw the little motions and touches they shared. Maybe they were oblivious, but John wasn’t. He was about to leave them be, when someone came up behind John and yelled. “LAFAYETTE! YOU CAME!”

The Frenchman spun around and smiled. “My boy! What a wonderful party!”

The man stepped out from the shadows, his shoulder-length brown hair sweeping behind him. “Qui sont tes amis?  _ (Who are your friends?)” _

John froze, having heard the man’s voice more clearly. Even with the lights, it was hard to see in the crowd of people, and it took him a minute to recognize the man who seemed to be the host. 

It was Alexander Hamilton. The man from Starbucks. The man who _ worked for John’s father. _

The guy John never wanted to see. Ever. Again. 

“This is Laurie, we met at a party like this one,” Lafayette motioned to John. “And this- well, he needs no introduction.” 

Hamilton smiled wide, and opened his arms for a hug. “HERCULES MULLIGAN!” 

Herc accepted the gesture and wrapped his arms around the shorter man. “Alex! I didn't know this was your party!” 

“Yup! It's nice, right?” Hamilton turned to face John. “Laurie, eh? Good to meet you- oh.” He frowned, recognizing him. “Um, hey again.”

Lafayette looked shocked. “You  _ KNOW EACH OTHER? HOW?”  _

John laughed despite his discomfort. “He came into Starbucks the other day with the longest-ass order I've ever seen.”

“WAIT.” Hercules spread his arms out, as if stopping everything, and pointed to John. “ _ You’re  _ Barista Bitch??” 

“What?”

Hamilton looked sheepishly at John, and grimaced. “Um, I kinda thought you were a bitch yesterday… and I told Hercules and Lafayette about it.” 

“Yes, he was very angry at you.” Lafayette smiled, clearly under the impression he was helping the situation. 

“That's not fair- I just- You-” John stuttered, overcome by anger and rage and just a slight bit of appreciation for Hamilton.  _ Why do you appreciate him? I don't know, maybe because he's cute? He's not cute! He is right now!  _ In truth, Hamilton did look kind of hot. His black polo was unbuttoned at the top, and his tight-fitting white jeans hid nothing from John’s wandering eyes.  _ STOP IT,  _ He thought.  _ This idiot is straight, anyways.  _

“How about we leave you two to sort this out?” Hercules said, sliding off his stool and grabbing Lafayette's wrist. “I feel like dancing.”

John turned towards Hamilton awkwardly. “Um… nice… party?”

The younger man laughed. “How about a drink?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANKS FOR READING   
> ILY  
> ok yup ill probably update next weekend  
> maybe  
> kudos appreciated


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the rest of the party, and the aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANKS FOR COMING BACK I LOVE YOU ALL
> 
> this chapter was kinda hard for me,,, um TW suicidal thoughts
> 
> also this chapter ended weird sorry

Once Hamilton had left to get their drinks, John pulled out his phone and texted his friends.

**[soNs of liBErty]**

<< guys wtf

<< why did u just leave me here with this idiot

<< GUYS

**✨herc✨** >> Well I'm SORRY. I thought he was kinda cute

<< no!! he's!! not!!!!!! 

<< FIRST OF ALL he's fucking straight, second of all he works for my FUCKING DAD. you know, the one that DISOWNED ME

**un baguette** >> He is not who you think he is! Have a talk! You may enjoy the exchange. 

<< how many times have i told you stop texting like ur from the 1700s

**un baguette** >> I do not always talk that way! Sometimes I say things like “Shit” and “My God”!

John started to type a frustrated reply, but Hamilton had returned with the drinks. “Piña Colada for me, and an Irish Coffee for you.” 

“You got a _ Piña Colada?”  _ John smirked at the drink in the other man’s hand. 

Hamilton frowned, looking defensive. “...Yes. Is there an issue?” John giggled. “I’m serious, do you have a problem with my drink?” 

“It’s just so… generic.”

“And an Irish Coffee isn’t? Who orders something with caffeine when it’s 11 o’clock at night?”

“Whatever.” John stared into his drink, determined not to look at Hamilton. He realized now that this party was the last place he wanted to be. Despite his hastiness to leave, something in his gut wanted him to stay. “So... You’re a lawyer?”

Hamilton nodded. “Yup. Best in the city, if I do say so myself. Senator Laurens is a dick, but...” He gestured to the party, which had gotten even crazier. It was clear the wealth that Hamilton possessed, and John knew that most of it had probably come from his father.

“You have no idea,” John muttered, and when the other man looked at him, confused, he shook his head. “Nevermind.”

They watched the party for a while, pointedly ignoring each other. Despite the host’s high positions, no one came to greet him. John found this increasingly annoying- he was desperate for an escape. At one point, he saw Herc and Laf sitting across the roof from them, drinking what appeared to be wine-  _ wine- _ and laughing their heads off. Hamilton saw them too, and a little smile crept across his face.

“They’re never going to realize it, are they?”

John turned towards the other man and frowned. “Realize what?” He asked, even though he knew. Looking back, John thought he might have been testing Hamilton.

“They’re  _ meant  _ for each other. I want to tell them  _ so bad-  _ but I’m not one to meddle, so-”

John choked on his drink, which happened to be his third. “ _ You’re _ not one to meddle?” He swallowed, trying hard not to laugh. “From what I’ve seen, you meddle in just about everything.”

Hamilton stood up, set his drink down, and placed a hand on his hip. “Ok, Laurie- Ugh, fine, ‘John’- What is your problem? I have been nothing but generous and courteous, but you come in here like I’ve completely ruined your life. Sure, you might be a shitty barista, but I thought maybe you’d be more bearable as a  _ person. _ ”

“Oh, like you’re any better.” John rolled his eyes, and Hamilton’s shoulders tensed with anger.

“I don’t think you realize how much power I have over you. This is  _ my  _ party. This is  _ my  _ house.”

“It’s a _rooftop_ _loft_.”

“Oh, right, like you live somewhere better.”

John turned towards Hamilton, his fist clenched with rage. “Do  _ not _ go there.” He swept his curls out of his eyes and stalked off to find Herc and Laf. 

~~~

Everything was wrong. 

John’s hair was starting to frizz from the heat of the bodies around him. His shirt sleeves were unrolling, becoming uneven and messy as he pushed his way through the masses. Someone had stepped on his shoes at least twice. He couldn't think straight- he hadn't had that much to drink, had he?

Had he? 

When the world around him started to spin, he thought that maybe, just maybe, he had. 

He couldn’t find his friends. 

Hercules and Lafayette were gone, or at least, “indisposed.” John couldn’t concentrate enough to text them, and he found himself sitting on the edge of the rooftop. His legs dangled over the short concrete wall, and the city air was cold- too cold. Looking down, he watched the cars and people and taxis and lights run amok on the street. His head spun. 

He knew how easy it would be- 

How easy it would be to just fall. 

He sat on the edge of the roof for a while, staring at the ground and imagining himself falling. Hitting the ground. 

It sure would ruin Hamilton’s stupid party. 

John shook tears out of his eyes. He knew he should apologize to the younger man, but he couldn’t focus enough to stand. Everything was spinning around him, faster, and faster.

He thought he might fall-

Someone put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey.” 

“Uhm, sorry, I don’t-” John turned to see Hamilton standing at his side. “Oh.  _ You.” _

Hamilton looked guilty, the smile on his face unsure and apologetic. “Me.”

John swept the curls out of his face and turned away from Hamilton. “Just… leave me alone.” 

“Um…I’m sorry...?”

“No, you’re not. I know you’re not.”

“Maybe… I can work on that?”

John tried his best to stand up and walk away, but his vision was blurry and he could barely focus on the ground. At least, that’s what he told himself. Later he would realize that wasn’t the only reason he stayed. “I don’t care what you do, as long as it’s far away from me.” He stared down at the street below, anger and sadness mixing with the alcohol in his system. 

“Come with me. Let’s dance.” Hamilton held his hand out for John to take. 

John looked at his hand incredulously. “You are the  _ last  _ person I want to dance with right now.”

“Then let’s get it over with, and we’ll never have to do it again.”

A new song had started, and the music drowned out all the other noise from the party. John looked up at Hamilton and saw the sincerity in the younger man’s eyes.  _ This is a bad idea. Yeah, but, if we just get it over with…. YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO IT AGAIN. So WHAT if I do??? He’s a jerk, ok? He is not- _

“Fine.” John slid his hand into Hamilton’s, and he didn’t totally hate the way their fingers intertwined. “Look, Hamilton, this doesn’t mean anything.”

“Call me Alex.” He smiled. “And I didn’t say it did.”

The music pulsed around them and the lyrics started just as they stepped into the crowd of people. 

_ “You’re so rich, bet you bought yourself a diamond chain” _

The beat was slow enough that they could sway to the music without it being slow enough to be romantic, and Alex laughed as John mouthed the words. 

_ “To look real cool while you're telling all your friends it’s fake” _

John raised an eyebrow as Hamilton- no, Alex- pulled him closer, almost stepping on his feet.

_ “But you know it’s lies, another bitch from the Upper West Side” _

Alex laughed. “I’m from Queens!” 

“You're still a bitch.”

_ “Credit cards cutting all of your lines, yeah” _

The crowd around them had started to disperse, going off into secluded corners of the roof or getting refills on their drinks. John realized how relaxed he was, and his eyes had started to focus again. He blinked, noticing how close Alex was. How warm he was. Even with his hair disheveled, he looked good.  _ Nope. Why not? Because it's bad and he's totally straight. He's not straight, he literally said how obvious it is that Herc and Laf like each other, and he's literally PUSHED UP AGAINST ME DANCING. So, maybe he's a woke straight. I don't think- _

John's thoughts were interrupted by Alex’s hand on his shoulder. “Hey, are you ok? You stopped mouthing the words…”

“Yeah. I'm fine.” Lowering his hands, he wrapped his arms around Alex’s waist. “Is this ok…?”

The younger man smiled. “Sure. I know you're drunk, and you won't remember this anyways.”

_ “I can't stop judging everything you do” _

John tilted his head, confused. “Remember wh-”

Alex put his hand on the side of John’s face. “This.” 

_ “But I can't get enough of you” _

And he pulled John’s face into his and kissed him. 

John’s head spun, but he didn't pull away. The kiss was soft and close-mouthed, and Alex’s other hand had risen up his back and into his curly hair. The latter pulled away from the kiss and looked into John’s eyes. He nodded, and Alex leaned in again, pushing John’s mouth open as he did and kissing him full on. 

When Alex finally pulled away, John was breathless and confused. “Wh- why-”

The song had long since ended, and they were almost alone on the dance floor. Alex dropped his hands down and smiled almost sadly. “Everyone's leaving… you should probably go.” 

“Wh- but- I-”

“You're  _ drunk.  _ You would  _ never _ have gone along with that if you were sober. It's not like you're gonna remember it anyways.”

“But-”

“Look, there are Hercules and Lafayette. Go with them. Go home.” He pointed towards the door to the roof, where the two men had just appeared out of. 

“Um, no. You're gonna explain that to me,” John managed to say. “What the  _ hell, _ Alex?”

“Oh, don't pretend you didn't like it.” 

“I- uh.”

“Laurie.” John raises an eyebrow. “Fine, John. Even if we tried, this wouldn't work out. We hate each other, for one. You're always working, and I-”

“How do you know that I'm at work so much?” 

Alex looked away. “Um, I may have asked Hercules what your deal was.”

“When??”

“After you stormed off earlier. I found him and Laf in the kitchen doing shots, and they both had zero filters.” He stepped back, away from John. “I'm sorry I did that.”

“Which thing are you sorry for? There's a lot.”

“Everything? But mainly kissing you. I shouldn't have done it.”

For some reason, this made John boil with rage. “Yeah, you probably shouldn't have,  _ Hamilton. _ I never should've come to this stupid party.” He turned away and walked angrily to where Hercules and Lafayette were standing. “Let's go home.”

~~~

To John’s utter disappointment, he remembered everything from that night. 

He remembered the feeling of standing on the rooftop.

He remembered when Hamilton kissed him. 

He remembered how angry he was when Hamilton then told him to go home and forget anything ever happened.

During the drive home, Lafayette had revealed that he'd seen the kiss, and gave John his condolences. “He is a player, that man. Do not trust him.” 

John lay in bed the next morning, his head spinning.  _ What the hell…  _ He rolled over in bed and glanced towards his clock.  _ 12:05. _

Wait.  **_12:05??_ **

_ SHIT. I have to be at work in 45 minutes! _

He tore the covers off of himself and raced into his bathroom. He hadn’t totally recovered from the night before, and he was still a little dizzy on his feet.  _ Shitshitshitshitshit! _

In twenty minutes he ran out of his apartment, and the door slammed shut behind him. Valerie was in the hallway down a few floors, and when John passed her on the stairs, she called out to him. “Johnny! ¿Te divertiste anoche?  _ (Did you have fun last night?) _ ” 

“iSi! But I  _ REALLY  _ have to go!!” He slid down the stair railing- a skill he mastered years ago. Hercules still couldn’t figure out how to do it- he’d fallen from multiple staircases, multiple times.

The subway was close to his apartment, and John made it just in time to board the next train into Manhattan. His weekend job was at Barnes & Noble because he’s a nerd and they were hiring. He got there at exactly 1:02, clocked in, and started restocking the cookbooks. 

An hour later, he was ringing up customers, and three women came up to his register. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah i said it ended weird   
> bad ending ik  
> dont judge im tired  
> kudos and comments appreciated!!


	4. NOTICE: Hiatus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey... im really sorry- let me explain

let me get straight to the point- 

i haven't been feeling mentally well lately, and i'm having a lot of trouble writing. 

i really wish this wasn't happening- and i feel TERRIBLE that i have to do this so early on in the story.

i'm going to take a break until i feel better, and i have no idea when that might be. im supposed to be getting new medication on wednesday, so fingers crossed it helps.

thank you guys so much for understanding- and please don't give up on the fic. i love it so much and i hope you all are here when i come back.

love you guys- see you (hopefully) soon

**Author's Note:**

> imma try and update on sundays but idk guys
> 
> please leave comments and give kudos its super appreciated
> 
> OH BY THE WAY imma drop lil song lyrics in each chapter see if you can find them
> 
> comment if u do


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